Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters
This drabble is inspired by my buddy, dragoscilvio, who just happened to suggest something that tied into this prompt, and I love it! Thanks friend ^_^
(2018 HxB Week) Day 5: Injured/Healing
Hiei mentally cursed himself. He had been entirely foolish unleashing the dragon at such a critical juncture of a battle. It had been what he assumed to be an inconsequential foe, someone from Mukuro's barracks who wanted his position as general. Accepting his challenge had been his first mistake.
Underestimating him had been Hiei's second blunder. The demon in question was a sociopath no one in Mukuro's stronghold took seriously, including Hiei. Where he was wordy and aggravating, no one really knew anything about his strength. Hiei guessed it was nowhere near his level. After all, the idiot never used it during training sessions. The fire demon thought him to be an arrogant fool. His strength, though, was that of an upper A class. Fighting him proved difficult since Hiei went into battle ill-prepared. He hated that.
His third misstep was letting the bastard overtake him. No, Hiei was far from beaten. He was stronger than his opponent, but the demon had tricks up his sleeve that one with an honor code wouldn't see coming even if he was used to backstabbing from his thieving days. Countering was not always an option, and Hiei sustained quite a bit of damage.
His fourth mistake was letting his anger get the best of him.
His fifth mistake followed that, and he used the darkness technique to end the sorry excuse for a warrior once and for all.
The sixth mistake was that he took the battle too far from Mukuro's stronghold, but he was close enough to a portal. His seventh mistake was letting his mind wander to Human World. Thoughts of the women flooded him at such a dire moment.
He jumped in without a second thought, bleeding out and exhausted from his fight. He wasn't thinking when he did. All he wanted was to see Botan in that moment. He dared not think why.
Botan hummed some random tune when she noticed that it had gotten rather dark. She lost track of time while cleaning the apartment since she hadn't been there in a while. The place was rather dusty, something the ferry girl did not like. So, she spent the day tidying up hers and Hiei's rooms, the living room, kitchen—everything. She was sure it would be a big surprise for Hiei when he finally visited again. The last time they were there, they both sneezed quite a bit. A giggle escaped the ferry girl as she wiped her brow. She spent the whole day cleaning and now she was exhausted and ready to turn in.
She never got the chance.
A loud clunk outside the door to the apartment stole her attention. It sounded like someone had fallen into the door. Quickly, Botan went to check it out, and she was shocked by what she found. Hiei was kneeling on the ground and breathing heavily. His eyes looked heavy, and he was sporting a large gash. Botan's eyes widened in shock. Her mind became paralyzed.
Crimson eyes landed on hers.
Hiei looked like he wanted to say something, but all that came out was a strangled cry before he collapsed right in front of her—his energy completely depleted from using the dragon. He barely made it to the apartment. Botan continued to gape, still stunned. Funnily enough, the only thing she could think to say in this situation was, "I…cleaned our apartment…?"
It was hours later, hours after Botan finally broke out of her daze and quickly healed all of Hiei's injuries. They were all superficial, thankfully, just normal wounds anyone would sustain from a particularly spirited fight. He had suffered and endured worse, so much so that Botan wondered why he was so wiped out. Her eyes shifted to his unbandaged arm. She sort of had an idea.
A sigh escaped the ferry girl as she brushed Hiei's bangs back. He had given her quite a scare showing up in such a state. Once she overcame the shock, she made to move him to the couch, and then she got to work on his injuries. When he didn't wake up, she knew it was most likely for the same reason he passed out after his fight with Bui and fell during his fight with Mukuro in the first Demon World Tournament. Despite mastering the Dragon of Darkness Flame, it used up a considerable amount of Hiei's energy meaning he would fall into hibernation shortly after using it. He knew this, yet he still put himself in danger time and time again.
Botan decided to keep vigil over Hiei until he got his strength back. Where she had no doubt he finished off whatever enemy he faced, she was still concerned. Seeing him so vulnerable was sobering. It reminded her of so many others times she had seen just a normal being and not his tough and guarded persona, that she had seen him both at his best and at his worst, and it churned her stomach thinking that anyone could come to try and take advantage of the situation.
It wasn't her job to protect him. She knew that's exactly what he would see if awake. He'd also mumble how he didn't need her assistance. There would probably be some frustration with the fact that his head was resting on her lab and that she was coddling him. She heard it all before, and yet for some reason he came to her when he was at his weakest and most vulnerable point. She blushed at that thought. She didn't dare think that maybe Hiei actually wanted to see her.
No, that would be ridiculous.
But she wanted it to be true.
